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Health and Human Services

The health and human services program prepares students to work with people in a broad spectrum of public and private agency and employment settings. Students are prepared with the competence to develop, administer, and deliver services to strengthen and empower individuals, families, communities, and groups. Areas of interest may include aging, child welfare, domestic violence, family service, health and mental health, hospice, mental retardation, substance abuse, probation and parole, health maintenance or disease prevention.

The capstone of the major is a semester long, 36-hour week, highly structured internship coupled with an on-campus seminar. The internship affords the student the opportunity to integrate the liberal arts experience and theories of helping with work in local health and human service organizations. Student’s progression to the internship is ultimately determined by the departmental faculty.

The major is flexible and interdisciplinary, allowing students to explore their own areas of interest. Students may seek employment in the field after their undergraduate experience or choose graduate school in fields such as social work, public health, public or business administration, law or divinity.

Major Components

The major is constituted by four interrelated components:

General Studies courses to develop consciousness, sensitivity, and competencies appropriate for all liberally educated and emotionally prepared persons;

HHS core courses give all students majoring in health and human services a common base of knowledge, experience and skill which is appropriate for professionals in the broad field of endeavor;

Support courses which provide the student with specialization in subject matter required for the internship experience. Each student takes at least seven upper-level courses to meet this requirement; and

The HHS internship and academic seminar which is the culminating experience for those majoring in health and human services. The internship and academic seminar, which are taken concurrently, help integrate various liberal arts perspectives within a health and human services context. These experiences require considerable preparation and each potential intern must have developed key skills in communication and in dealing with individuals and groups, as well as a clear understanding regarding the requirements of the specific internship. Student’s progression to the internship is ultimately determined by the departmental faculty.

Specific major requirements include:

With the HHS adviser you work out a plan of liberal arts courses which develop consciousness, sensitivity, knowledge, and competencies appropriate for liberally educated and emotionally prepared persons. Consequently, all three divisions of the college are drawn upon for these courses.

Accumulate at least 21 semester hours of upper-level course work in that area for the internship experience. Students cannot take more than 15 semester hours in any one discipline to meet this requirement.

You are required to complete at least 45 semester hours of upper-division courses, with 60 semester hours being recommended.

Grade point average of 2.5 or better to qualify for the internship.

Successful completion of core and support courses (2.0 or better in each course) prior to the internship.